The wedding for 2,000 grooms who can bring knives but not wives: Huge ceremony where Yemeni tradition bans brides

Only men attend the mass wedding ceremony in Yemen’s capital Sana’a – women have their own ceremony
Mass weddings are held by charities to help poorer couples avoid the ruinous cost of private weddings
Representatives from the Guinness Book Of World Records attended the event to see if it’s a record breaker

By SAM WEBB MailOnline

The big day: An estimated 2,000 grooms took part in mass wedding in Sana’a, Yemen, yesterdayRead more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2483138/The-wedding-2-000-grooms-bring-knives-wives-Thousands-men-wield-swords-huge-Yemeni-ceremony-women-banned-Muslim-rules.html#ixzz2jOwPjhxOFollow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

These fascinating images show Yemeni grooms wearing traditional dresses and carrying swords during a mass wedding ceremony in Yemen – but their brides are nowhere to be seen.

Upon strict Muslim traditions practiced in Yemen, women have their own seperate celebration. The couples met later that night, many for the first time as many marriages in Yemen are arranged.

The Orphan Foundation charity organised the mass wedding ceremony for 4,000 couples in the capital Sana’a.